1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector that prevents partial connection.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known connector for an air bag circuit of an automotive vehicle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,542 and is shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 herein. This connector has male and female housings 1, 2 that can be connected with each other. The male housing 1 has a lock arm 3 that is deformed during connection. However, the lock arm 3 is restored resiliently to engage a lock 4 of the female housing 2 when the housings 1, 2 are connected properly. A slider 5 is mounted in the male housing 1 and a spring 6 is mounted in the slider 5. The deformed lock arm 3 engages the slider 5 and prevents rearward movement of the slider 5 in the male housing 1. The female housing 2 has a rib 7 that compresses the spring 6 during connection of the housings 1, 2, and the biasing force accumulated in the compressed spring 6 is released to separate the housings 1, 2 if the connecting operation is interrupted prematurely.
The lock arm 3 is restored resiliently when the housings 1, 2 are connected properly, and the restored lock arm 3 disengages from the slider 5. As a result, the biasing force of the spring 6 is released and moves the slider 5 backward. The slider 5 has a preventing portion 8 that moves into a deformation permitting space adjacent the restored lock arm 3 to prevent a deformation of the lock arm 3 away from the lock 4.
The housings 1, 2 can be separated by moving the slider 5 forward sufficiently for the preventing portion 8 to retract from the deformation permitting space. The male housing 1 then is pulled rearwardly. The pulling forces deform the lock arm 3 and disengage the lock arm 3 from the lock 4 to permit complete separation of the housings 1, 2.
The procedure for separating the housings 1, 2 requires the slider 5 to be pushed forward and held against the biasing force of the spring 6 while the male housing 1 is pulled backward. Accordingly, operability is poor because the male housing 1 and the slider 5 are moved in opposite directions.
The present invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to improve efficiency in separating connectors.
The invention is directed to a connector with first and second housings that are connectable with each other and a locking means for locking the housings in a properly connected state. The second housing has a resilient member that is movable substantially along a connecting direction of the housings, and the first housing has a pusher that pushes the resilient member back in the inserting direction as the housings are being connected. The resilient member also is resiliently displaceable at an angle to the connecting direction. A guide directs the resilient member away from the pusher when or shortly before the housings are connected properly. A resiliently deformable biasing member is provided between the resilient member and the second housing. The biasing member accumulates a biasing force to separate the housings as the resilient member is moved backward.
The connector may comprise an operable member that is movable substantially along the connecting direction. The operable member is assembled with the second housing to stop at a front-limit position thereof. The operable member also can stop the resilient member at a front-limit position.
The pusher pushes the resilient member as the housings are being connected, and hence the biasing member is compressed between the resilient member and the second housing. The operable member can stop at its front-limit position with respect to the second housing, and thus the connecting operation can be performed by operating the operable member.
The biasing force accumulated in the biasing member is released to separate the housings if the connecting operation is interrupted prematurely. Thus, the housings are prevented from being left only partly connected.
The housings are locked together after proper connection, and the resilient member is displaced by the guide and released from the pusher. Thus, the biasing force accumulated in the biasing member is released to move the resilient member forward.
The operable member is moved rearward to separate the properly connected housings. This rearward movement of the operable member also compresses the biasing member. If locking by the locking means is canceled in this state, the biasing force of the biasing means is released to move the first housing back with respect to the second housing.
The operating direction of the operable member is the same as a separating direction of the second housing. Thus, operational efficiency during the separation is good. Further, the housings can be connected and separated by operating the operable member. Therefore, operational efficiency is better than a connector in which one housing is operated during connection and the operable member is operated during separation.
The locking means preferably comprises a lock in one of the housings, and a lock arm at the other of the housings. The lock arm is resiliently engageable with the lock when the housings are connected properly.
At least one of the lock arm and the operable member may comprise unlocking means for displacing the lock arm away from the lock as the operable member is moved back to separate the housings from each other.
The lock arm is displaced by the unlocking means and automatically is disengaged from the lock when the operable member is moved back to separate the housings. Thus, operational efficiency is improved as compared to a connector that necessitates a separate operation of displacing the lock arm to separate the housings.
The unlocking means preferably comprises an unlock pressing portion for pressing the lock arm out of engagement from the lock.
The unlocking means may unlock the housings at a position of the operable member more backward than the front-stop position.
The resilient member preferably is metallic and/or the pusher is formed by the front end surface of the second housing.
The construction of the first housing can be simplified since the front end surface of the first housing is the pusher. The resilient member remains resiliently displaced with the housings properly connected if the resilient member is pushed by the front end surface of the first housing. However, since the resilient member is metallic, resiliency will not deteriorate as compared to a case where the resilient member is made of a resin.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments.